Variola (genus)

Variola
	Crescent jewel perch ( Variola louti )
Systematics
	Spinefish (Acanthopterygii)
	Perch relatives (Percomorphaceae)
Order :	Perch-like (Perciformes)
Family :	Grouper (Epinephelidae)
Subfamily :	Epinephelinae
Genre :	Variola
Scientific name
	Variola
	Swainson , 1839

Variola is a genus of groupers (Epinephelidae) that consists of only two species. The two Variola species occur in the Red Sea and the Indo-Pacific from South and East Africa to the islands of the central Pacific. They prefer the clear water around islands and outer reefs at depths of four to 200 meters. The predatory fish, which can grow to be 65 to 83 centimeters long, feed mainly on smaller fish. The larger and more common species, Variola louti , is fished and eaten by humans. However, there is always the risk of Ciguatera poisoning.

features

Variola species have an elongated, cylindrical body. The massive head reaches about a third of the standard length (distance between the gill cover and the caudal fin root). The mouth is always significantly longer than the diameter of the eyes. In the front part of both jaws there are a pair of large "dog teeth", in the middle part of the lower jaw there are further enlarged teeth (one to three). The palatine bone also has teeth. The scales in the middle of the body are ctenoid scales .

The dorsal fin has nine hard and 13 to 15 soft rays, the eleventh or twelfth soft ray is long. The anal fin has three hard and eight soft rays, the pectoral fins have 16 to 19 rays and are rounded, the middle rays are the longest, the upper rays are connected to the body by a scaly skin. The first two rays of the pelvic fins are elongated and reach the beginning of the anal fin. The caudal fin is sickle-shaped.

species

There are only two very similar types:

White sickle jewel perch ( Variola albimarginata Baissac, 1953)
Crescent jewel perch ( Variola louti (Forsskål, 1775))

literature

Dieter Eichler, Robert F. Myers: Korallenfische Indopazifik , Jahr-Verlag GmbH & Co., ISBN 3-86132-225-0
Ewald Lieske, Robert F. Myers: Coral fish of the world . Year Top Special Verlag Hamburg, ISBN 3-86132-112-2
Baensch, Patzner: Mergus Sea Water Atlas Volume 7 Perciformes (perch-like) . Mergus-Verlag, Melle, ISBN 3-88244-107-0

Phillip C. Heemstra: Groupers of the World (Family Serranidae, Subfamily Epinephelinae) An Annotated and Illustrated Catalog of the Grouper, Rockcod, Hind, Coral Grouper and Lyretail Species . FAO Species Catalog for Fishery Purposes. Vol. 16. FAO Rome 1993; Pp. 69-251. ( Full PDF )

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b Variola on Fishbase.org (English)

Web links

Commons : Variola - collection of images, videos and audio files

[Fishbase-1] Variola on Fishbase.org (English)